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Tag Archive | music

What do tree rings sound like when played like a record? It’s hauntingly beautiful.

HOW IT WORKS: Instead of a needle, an optical sensor reads the wood’s color and texture. Then, algorithms convert those variations into notes on a scale, which is mapped to a piano synthesizer and played.

The rings of a trunk reveal the age of the tree, and environmental conditions like rainfall levels, disease, and even forest fires. Light colored rings indicate growth spurts, while darker marks show times of a slowdown.

Each slice is unique–a glimpse into the story of a tree’s past.

Bartholomaus Traubeck wondered what story those trees would tell. So he created equipment that could translate those rings into music on a record player. The result is a breathtaking masterpiece.